Three weeks in, how are you progressing with our 21-day Miles for March Challenge? The KINETIC team is seeing our endurance up and improvements to our pace, and we hope you’re seeing similar results! If you haven’t started yet, there’s no better time than now, trust us.
Here at KINETIC the journey is about improving wellness as well as fitness for all of our users. We know that developing a new habit takes time, at least 21 days, so if you’re struggling, or just getting started, keep doing your best to check off each day that you can!
To help you keep moving for the challenge, and the rest of 2017(!), we’ve compiled a list of some of the most effective tips for runners we can find. No matter how experienced you are, we know these tips will keep you moving all throughout March. Even if you haven’t had a chance to start, it’s never too late to #ChallengeYourself to run a 5K!
- Don’t feel bad if you have to slow down or walk
Breaks, just like rest days, are necessary to your training. Walks can even help strengthen muscles and help with your endurance. If your body is telling you it’s struggling to push further, you need to listen to avoid injury or getting burned out. - Work out that stitch in your side
There’s no real way to ignore the stitch in your side that sometimes occurs when you’re running. But there are some effective ways to deal with it when you’re running, working out in addition, warming up and more. - Rhythmic breathing can help
If you’ve not looked into breathing techniques, then start here. Studies done of runners show that if you exhale at the same time your foot hits the ground while running, you’re putting the greatest amount of stress on that side of your body. Makes you think about how your breathing patterns are affecting your run, doesn’t it? - Check your hands
No, seriously. According to renowned runner and coach Alberto Salazar, you want to curl your thumbs into your fists to keep your muscles relaxed. Running with your thumbs up strains the muscles in your forearms and ultimately your legs. - Rest days are your friend
Rest days are more than what they sound like, they’re also an opportunity for your body to recover from the work you’ve been doing. It’s been proven that rest days will help you build your strength and reduce fatigue. - Runner’s Knee, IT Band Syndrome, Plantar Fasciitis, et al
These are some of the more common running injuries for beginners. There are a lot of treatments available, but most importantly you need to remember to stretch, to warm down properly and to add some cross training or weights into your workout routine.
Now that you’re close to the end of the challenge, look at how much you’ve achieved in such a short amount of time. We want to hear about the progress you’ve made and the improvements you’ve seen in your running. If you haven’t already, make sure you’ve joined the KINETIC Facebook community. You can check in with us and share your progress with the entire KINETIC community by using the hashtag #KINETICMilesForMarch.
As a reminder, we might just feature our favorites on DoKINETIC.com. We will be here through the end of the month to keep you going and share in your achievements.
Next week when Miles for March has concluded, we are going to want to hear the story of your success and how you’re feeling. Keep up the great work runners and finish strong in March!
